Chapter 4
After the results were posted, Melissa disappeared.
When afternoon classes ended, Adelaide walked out of the building to find Frederick waiting by the entrance, white roses in hand. People nearby were snapping photos.
"Adelaide." He walked over and handed her the flowers, then produced a velvet box. Inside was a pair of stud earrings.
"This is your championship gift—the one I owed you. Had Melissa help me pick them out. She said girls all love this style."
He paused. "I know I've put you through a lot. But you know better than anyone that I love you. Forgive me?"
Adelaide looked at the earrings. Oversized diamonds, flashy color. Not her taste at all.
But she thought about him standing in the rain all night. His earnest face right now. The fact that he'd actually admitted he'd hurt her.
She took the earrings.
"This is the last time."
As they walked through the campus gates, Adelaide's phone buzzed. A message from Reginald.
[Got called out on an urgent assignment. Won't be around tonight. There's food in the fridge. Help yourself.]
She'd been agonizing over how to tell Reginald she couldn't make dinner—and he'd canceled first.
Adelaide exhaled with quiet relief and quickly typed back: [Okay.]
Over the next three days, Frederick really did change.
Every morning he waited at the campus gates with her favorite coffee.
Every afternoon when practice ended, he was right outside the facility with snacks—all her favorites.
Everyone envied her.
Greta bumped her shoulder in the locker room. "Frederick finally figured it out?"
Daphne laughed nearby. "Every girl on campus is jealous. When did he get so thoughtful?"
Adelaide didn't answer, but the corner of her mouth curved slightly.
Everything seemed perfect. Then Melissa shattered it.
She posted on Instagram—a photo of her bruised knees, the cheer training facility clearly visible in the background.
[Talent alone doesn't get you in. I'll keep trying.]
The comments exploded.
[Is this about cheer tryouts?]
[The football captain personally recommended Melissa. She obviously has talent—how did she not get in?]
[Adelaide's boyfriend is Frederick. He recommends another girl for the squad and she's supposed to be okay with that?]
Melissa replied to only the last comment.
[Frederick did his best. It's not his fault.]
Adelaide was organizing equipment in the training facility when she scrolled past it.
She looked for two seconds, set her phone down, and went back to work.
Greta burst in, shoving her phone in Adelaide's face. "Did you see this? What is she playing at? She had the lowest score! She doesn't have the skills! Now she's making it look like you're targeting her!"
"Yep." Adelaide nodded.
"That's it? That's your reaction?"
"What else?" Adelaide sighed. "Pull her hair?"
Greta had no comeback.
Adelaide placed the last roll of athletic tape in the cabinet and shut the door. "Let it go."
The next day, cheer coach Aurora Rivera called Adelaide into her office.
"Melissa came to see me today." Aurora got straight to the point. "She said she'd be willing to serve as an alternate. No official roster spot."
Aurora paused. "Her father's on the board of trustees. If she joins, our funding for next semester's international exchange trip is guaranteed."
"I know it's not fair to the others. But only eight spots open up each year for that trip. If we could get two more, the whole squad benefits."
"I want your opinion. You're the captain."
Adelaide was silent for a few seconds. "I don't agree."
"Why?"
"The squad has rules. Even alternates go through tryouts. We can't make exceptions because of a parent's connections." Adelaide's voice was steady. "She doesn't have the skill level. Putting her on the team would drag everyone down."
Aurora nodded, said nothing more, and told her she could go.
That afternoon, Frederick skipped practice and came straight to Adelaide. "You told Coach Rivera you wouldn't let Melissa join the squad?"
Adelaide nodded.
"Why? She wouldn't take an official spot. Just an alternate—that's not okay?"
"Rules are rules."
Frederick's voice sharpened. "Adelaide, I know you have principles, but can't you bend just this once?"
"No."
"The anniversary of Melissa's mom's death is coming up. She's been a mess emotionally." His tone hardened. "She just wants something to keep her mind busy. Why do you have to shut her out?"
"If she joins the squad, my dad will increase the activity budget. Isn't that a good thing?"
Adelaide looked at him calmly. How could she have forgotten? Frederick's father was also Melissa's stepfather. They were the real family.
"So what?" Adelaide held his gaze. "Because your father is on the board, she gets to skip tryouts?"
"She'd be an alternate. Off-roster."
"Alternates go through tryouts too. She doesn't have the skill."
"She's young—"
"She's a year older than me." Adelaide cut him off.
Frederick's words jammed in his throat.
He stared at her, his expression shifting from frustration to that weary, 'why do you always have to argue with me' look.
"Melissa's mom's death anniversary is almost here. She hasn't been sleeping. She called me at two in the morning last night, crying for an hour." His voice softened. "Adelaide, just do me this one favor. Let her on the team. Please?"
Adelaide looked into his eyes. She saw the red veins. The exhaustion. The tenderness—all of it for another woman.
She closed her eyes. When she opened them, her voice was firm. "No."
"Frederick, just drop it." Melissa had been listening from nearby—no telling how long. Her eyes were red, like she'd been crying. "If Adelaide says no, then it's no."
She walked over and took Frederick's hand. "Don't fight because of me. I'm not worth it. Nobody cares about me. I know that."
"Of course you're worth it! How can you say nobody cares? You're my sister! I—" Frederick stopped for a beat, then continued. "Dad and I both love you. We love you."
He said he loved her.
Adelaide stood there, watching the two of them gaze at each other with raw emotion, and felt something inside her go quiet.
She was just tired.
She turned to head back to practice. A sudden force slammed into her from behind—someone shoved her hard.
Adelaide's hand shot back instinctively. Her nails raked across Melissa's arm. Then she hit the ground.
Melissa burst into tears instantly. "I'm sorry, Adelaide! I just wanted to explain—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!"
Searing pain tore through Adelaide's knee. She couldn't speak.
She looked up. All she saw was Frederick clutching Melissa tight, not sparing her a single glance.
"Melissa, don't be scared. It's okay. Nobody's going to blame you."
"It wasn't your fault. She lost her balance. It has nothing to do with you."
Adelaide opened her mouth. Only one word came out.
"Blind."
